I want to share an incredible story about a man who figured out – To Fail Is Not To Be A Failure. See if you can guess who this person is. He failed many times, yet had critical impact on history.
His Story Of Failing
When he was a youngster, his family was forced out of their home. He had to get a job at that young age to help them survive. Then his mom died. Some years later, he failed in his business. He then ran for a special position – and lost. Then he lost the job he had.
Hoping to improve his scenario, he pursued law school – but couldn’t get in. Then this fellow borrowed money to start a business – and ended up bankrupt, spending seventeen years paying off the debt!
Unbelievably, he ran for a select position again – and won! Consequently, he was also to be married, but his betrothed died. He had a nervous breakdown and was bedridden for half a year. Admirably, he got back up and tried for a better scenario. Here’s what that looked like:
- He ran for a position – and lost.
- Then he ran for another position – and lost.
- And yet another position – and lost.
- He ran yet again (Geee! Can’t he get the message?!) . . . but finally he won!
His Story Continues
After doing well in this new position for the term, he ran for the same job again – and lost.
Maybe finally realizing it wasn’t working, he tried a different kind of job entirely – and he was rejected. So he went back to the “same-old – same-old.”
- He tried tenaciously for a coveted position – and lost.
- Subsequently, he raised his aim higher to a more elevated position, ran – and lost. (This guy must have been nuts.)
- After another run, he lost again.
- But – FINALLY – he ran for the top position and . . . (wait for it) . . . he WON!
President Abraham Lincoln knew in his heart he was not a failure just because he failed sometimes – actually, often. He simply refused to give up. Because he knew his life had value, and he had passion and skill sets, good ol’ Abe fleshed-out a valuable example –
To Fail Is Not To Be A Failure.
Miscalculations And Misses
Let’s talk about miscalculations and misses. Days are filled with these. Have you ever felt like Abe? Striving forward only to fail. It’s discouraging, and sometimes feels embarrassing. Maybe you’ve experienced some of these scenarios:
- Forgetting a critical deadline – and incurring a penalty because of it.
- Losing your keys – and the vulnerable feeling that follows.
- Trying hard for a position – only to see it go to another person.
- Sending a text or email to the wrong account or address – and kicking yourself for not catching it.
- Missing a medicine dose required for healing or health maintenance – when you’ve committed to be a compliant patient.
- Saying something you later realize is inappropriate – and trying to do damage control.
- Missing a flight – and having to patch-up the travel itinerary enroute with only your phone to help.
- Studying your best for an exam and failing – knowing you can’t go forward without passing.
- Trying with all your heart to re-connect with or appeal to an opposing party – and realizing the damage of their slander is greater than you knew.
- Not watching more carefully on a work-out walk (or while driving) and falling (or having an accident) – and the surgery (or damage) that results is comprehensive.
Those are a few examples. What you do next determines if – “to fail is not to be a failure.”
To Fail Is Not To Be A Failure
Experiences like ones in the list we just explored queue us up to consider Mr. Lincoln’s inspirational life. He is still considered one of the greatest men in history. But consider what he went through. His path to success was littered with failings. And look at his sufferings resulting from losses and misses. Interestingly, Mr. Lincoln would probably argue that much of his success was built on top of the framework of failure. Giving up was not an option.
Even though he failed, he applied some critical action steps as he kept pursuing opportunities. These are action steps he practiced:
- Passion
- Strategy
- Hope
Let’s look at each of these ideas.
Passion
What is passion? Dictionaries often say – “a powerful, compelling feeling, emotion, or desire.” So, how can passion be a tool on a path that also has portals and channels to some kind of failure?
The fact that you are capable of passion means you have a power similar to a power God has. He also has passion.
Some of the greatest energy in history has been passion. Even in current times, progress and betterment is supported by passion. Individuals like you push forward despite obstacles – and don’t give up – because of passion. I suppose you could also connect passion to conviction.
Just because you fail doesn’t mean you are a failure. In fact, failing is one of the ways people learn and grow. This is what Mr. Lincoln did. He gained so much valuable experience and information from failing. He failed forward! And it’s passion that keeps this process fresh and inviting.
Do you live with passion each day? Is passion one of your “powerful, compelling feelings, emotions, or desires?” Do you live with conviction?
Strategy
As already mentioned, a benefit of seeing both sides of the “human effort” coin – success and failing – is valuable experience and information gained in the process.
You have been in both places, and so have I. To succeed is a powerful accomplishment. Yet, to fail is another kind of power. Simply put, you learn even more from failing – if you adopt three perspectives. These three outlooks are practical decisions you make. And they form a strong strategy in forward momentum:
Focus – Focus is a chosen way to look at life and its developments. Good stuff and bad stuff. God wants His children to focus on constructive ideas. Phil. 4:8 says, ” . . . whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” This is a perspective you can choose.- Discipline – It’s a message we need to be reminded of every day. Once you know the right thing to do, the next thing is to get going and do it. Even when you don’t feel like it. This is a perspective you can choose.
- Resolve – It’s impossible to be successful without resolve. This quality proves giving up is not an option for you. Resolve keeps you doing what must be done now and in the future, regardless of current results. It’s a decision . . . a perspective you can choose.
Facing failing with focus, discipline, and resolve is a mind-set God gives.
Choosing to be a failure is a mind-set God does not give.
What kind of strategy have you developed and practiced? Does it include focus, discipline, and resolve?
Hope
There is a power so strong, it threads energy, strength, resilience, and forward-movement into your heart and daily life. This power is hope. It’s so effective, Scripture lists it as one of three most desirable qualities to possess – “. . . these three remain: faith, hope and love.” (1 Cor. 13:13)
Hope is a reason to keep going forward. It’s also the motive of a person who chooses to find valuable lessons in failing. And it further distinguishes the person who knows they are not a failure just because they failed.
1 Thess. 1:3 talks about hope. Let’s explore several versions with word variations to describe hope:
- patience of hope
- unwavering hope
- endurance inspired by hope
- perseverance from hope
- firm hope
- steadfast hope
- unfailing, unwavering, unending hope
- sustaining hope
When you hope, you engage patience, unwavering, endurance, perseverance, firmness, steadfastness, unfailing, unwavering, unending, and sustaining.
Erring and Forgiving
You’ve heard the saying, “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” (Alexander Pope)
Failings of others can impact your life. Very often, you find yourself in the wake of someone else’s failings or deliberate sins.
To err is human – means everyone makes mistakes.
To forgive is divine – means some choose to adopt God’s ability to forgive and move forward.
Forgiving is a three-prong concept.
- Forgiving another person.
- To forgive a group or organization.
- Forgiving yourself.
To err and yet forgive is like getting a car wash. It’s a cleansing, a re-boot, a fresh start. And forgiveness opens the door to passion, strategy, and hope.
Application Thoughts And Questions
- What do you learn from President Lincoln’s many failings?
- Do you live with passion and conviction each day?
- What kind of strategy have you developed and practiced? Does it include focus, discipline, resolve?
- When you hope, do you engage patience, unwavering, endurance, perseverance, firmness, steadfastness, unfailing, unwavering, unending, and sustaining?
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SNOPES SOURCE on Lincoln’s life.
